Portsmouth four-year-old in miracle escape from hit-and-run

Tiffany Ellmore was walking with Eliza-Lillie Read at the junction of Queens Road and Kingston Road in North End, Portsmouth, when a car mounted the kerb and hit the youngster.

Miraculously, Eliza-Lillie was left with just cuts and bruises, but Tiffany says it could have been much worse.

The mum described the moment the accident happened.

‘She cries in her sleep over what happened and she now thinks every car is going to hit her,’ she said.

‘It was so horrible because I saw her head hit the bonnet, it was awful.

‘The bruises are clearing up now but she was lucky not to be seriously hurt.’

Tiffany said the driver of the car, a black Audi, got out, saw what had happened and sped off.

She then had to call an ambulance before trying the police. Tiffany says she feels let down by police, who refused to come to the scene.

She said: ‘I was sent a statement to fill in and then send back to Hampshire Constabulary.’

The 29-year-old, of Northbrook Close, in Buckland, Portsmouth, said: ‘I feel like they aren’t taking what happened seriously.

‘They did not come to the scene and have not been to interview me in person.

‘I kept calling to see what was going on with the investigation and in the end they said they would send me a DIY statement.

They said once they do that, they can track down the driver and start the investigation. It has annoyed me because this was a serious incident and it would have been nice to speak to an actual officer about what happened.’

Eliza-Lillie, who is autistic, suffered bruising and cuts from the crash which happened on June 27 at 3.30pm.

A spokeswoman from Hampshire police confirmed they received a call following the hit-and-run.

She said: ‘At around 3.40pm on Tuesday, June 27, we received a report that a child had been in collision with a car on Queens Road, Portsmouth.

‘This matter is currently under investigation and we have spoken to the family.

‘We’re aware the family of the victim are unhappy with the service they have received from us.

‘A complaint has been made and we would like to reassure them this is being looked in to.’